A man suspected of robbing at gunpoint a Hudson, Wis., bank Wednesday morning apparently shot himself after being cornered in a Lakeview Hospital parking lot in Stillwater. The suspect, who was not identified, died from his injury. He is believed also to have robbed at gunpoint a bank in Hudson last Friday. Police declined to disclose the amounts stolen or detailed information about the weapon used. At 10:08 a.m., Hudson Police received a report of an armed robbery in progress at Associated Bank at 307 Second Street.

Hunters in the field for this weekend's firearms deer opener are reminded that it remains illegal to shoot gray wolves, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Federal officials removed the gray wolf, commonly referred to as the timber wolf, from the endangered species list earlier this year, and the DNR assumed management authority. State law classifies the gray wolf as a protected wild animal. In the early 1970s, the extreme northeastern portion of Minnesota boasted the only population of gray wolves in the lower 48 states.

As the state's deer firearms season opens Nov. 3, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters to follow safety guidelines. Each year, the majority of hunting accidents are the result of incorrect or careless use of tree stands. "Deer hunting is historically a safe sport, but only if hunters exercise caution and follow tree stand safety guidelines," said DNR Chief Conservation Officer Col.

Being Minnesotan means hunting, fishing, boating, camping, exploring the great outdoors, right? Well, maybe not so much anymore. Recent surveys conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service show troubling declines in what once were the bread and butter activities that defined people who lived in this state. These declines are also not unique to Minnesota. They are occurring across the country. Apparently, nature-based outdoor recreation does not have the priority in younger people's lives that it once did.

ST. PAUL - Traveling Minnesota's smooth roadways likely will continue to be a comfortable ride, but motorists may experience more bumpy jaunts in coming years. Unlike bridges, which undergo an extensive inspection process - particularly since the Aug. 1 Minneapolis bridge collapse - there is no similar program to inspect state roads for structural problems that could pose safety concerns. However, Minnesota Department of Transportation experts rate the condition of highways annually to determine what roadways need maintenance and how to prioritize proposed construction projects.

Years ago, I watched a French film that still haunts me. "Le Jeux Interdits" (translated "Forbidden Games") tells the story of a little girl and her parents who are fleeing Paris as the Germans approach. Stukas strafe the road, the parents are killed and the girl finds her way to a kindly farmer, who takes her in. She's sad and disoriented, so the farmer tells her to play a game with his son, the "cemetery" game. Collect all the dead birds left over from the Stuka attack and bury them, complete with rudely-fashioned crosses as grave markers. The kids go at it with gusto.

WORTHINGTON -- During a Tuesday afternoon press conference at Prairie Justice Center, authorities released more information on the case involving a teen who was missing for more than 36 hours, but were unable or unwilling to answer the question of whether she had been taken by force or left with a teenage boy voluntarily. A petition to the juvenile courts was filed Tuesday against the suspect in Nobles County District Court, charging Sonny Syhavong, 17, with violating a restraining order and depriving another of parental rights/concealing a minor, and fourth-degree criminal property damage.

A Frazee man now in prison for sex crimes against children is due to be released later this month, but if state and local authorities have their way, he will instead be committed to a state hospital for sexual offenders. John Curtis Barnes, 29, is scheduled for release from the state prison at Rush City on Oct. 22. He was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2000 for assaulting a preteen boy, and 46 children of all ages and both genders are listed as "possible victims" of his sexual assaults in court papers seeking a civil commitment to St.